Diocese May Face Questions About Abuse

The state attorney for Brevard and Seminole counties may ask the Diocese of Orlando if it has had any allegations of sexual abuse lodged against priests that it hasn't reported.

"Since the mid-1980s, this diocese has indicated that it would report any child abuse to the state hotline," said State Attorney Norman Wolfinger. "I have no reason to believe they have not abided by their policy at this time."

But the almost daily accounts of priests in other dioceses across the country sexually abusing children has gained Wolfinger's attention.

"Nationally, there's been this concern that they haven't been reporting it," Wolfinger said. "That's why you would ask them -- because of the appearance on a widespread scale that the dioceses haven't been reporting it.

"You can't be blind to what's going on across the country."

The Orlando diocese, with 70 parishes in nine counties, has publicly stated that any priest who has had credible accusations of sexual misconduct made against him already has been removed from active ministry.

"We have not received a request from Mr. Wolfinger's office, but as we stated earlier, we will cooperate with any legal request from any state attorney," diocese spokeswoman Carol Brinati said in an e-mail Friday.

From 1973 to 1996, seven priests in the Orlando diocese were accused of, or admitted to, molesting nearly three dozen youths, mostly boys, according to court documents and interviews with church officials, priests, abuse victims and lawyers.

Former priest Thomas James Pagni was sentenced to prison in 1996 for sexually abusing teenage boys in Brevard County.

Pagni also was the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by Merritt Island attorney Sheldon Stevens.

It contended that the Orlando diocese knew Pagni was molesting children while he was a priest, removed him from the priesthood, but then financed his education to become a mental-health counselor dealing with children and families.

Wolfinger said his decision to consider approaching the diocese has nothing to do with past cases prosecuted in the 18th Judicial Circuit. He also said he is unaware of any new complaints surfacing in his circuit.

Wolfinger said he will decide whether to approach the diocese and how within the coming weeks after consulting with staff, including members of his office involved in sex-abuse cases.

"I don't have a problem asking," he said. "I don't have to rely on law enforcement to do it."

Meanwhile, the chief assistant to Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar said prosecutors in Orlando have no plans to question the diocese about unreported abuse complaints.

"We don't go out looking for cases to prosecute," said Chief Assistant State Attorney Bill Vose. "We're not going to conduct a witch hunt against the Catholic Church."

But some Catholics questioned Friday said they would want the diocese to divulge unreported sex abuse cases from the past.

"Any wrongdoing should be exposed," said Michelle Mitcham-Smith, a guidance counselor at Colonial High School who lives in Orlando and attends Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.

"I'd like it to be thoroughly investigated," she said. "If they did find something, they should treat a priest like they would any other citizen -- by the law. They should not be above the law.

"I would like the truth to come to light."

Others expressed some concern about Wolfinger's possible inquiry.

"It's a real struggle, either way," said Kathleen Becht, a member of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park. "I'm caught between the concern about a witch hunt and that there might possibly be problems that may not have been attended to."